Justin Gaethje Ready to Prove Himself Against Michael Johnson at TUF 25 Finale

Justin Gaethje spoke with MMAjunkie ahead of his UFC debut against Michael Johnson at TUF 25 Finale. The highlights are below:

On joining the UFC: “I was stating that I was the best in the world at lightweight and I feel like a coward every time I said it because I wasn’t in a position to fight the best in the world. I started this path at 4 years old. I didn’t know it was going to lead me here, but in hindsight, I was always headed here.”

On Johnson saying he isn’t ready for the fight: “Obviously he’s trying to give himself a little confidence because, calling me a C-league fighter, the more he talks the bigger of an ass he’s going to look like. Unless he gets lucky and knocks me out in the first one or two minutes, then he knows. I’m going to make him wilt. He’s going to sit there and wilt under my pressure.”

On Johnson: “The thing about Michael Johnson is that when he’s the hammer, he doesn’t quit. When he’s the nail he tends to not – he has 11 losses – seven submissions (and) four decisions. Four times he’s been outworked. I’ve never been outworked. I’ve lost in wrestling, but I’ve never been outworked…He has been fighting the best in the world, I’ll give him that. But a quitter’s a quitter, and I’m going to make him quit.”

On prepping for the fight: “I think the biggest factor is the anticipation. Being able to control your emotions. I knew 10 or 12 weeks ago that I was going to have this fight. I’ve had many days, many hours, thousands of minutes to get ready for this 25 minutes, and I’m taking advantage of those.”